U.S. patent application number 15/821305 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-31 for vehicle front section structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Kengo KISHIMOTO, Masakazu SHIROOKA.
Application Number | 20180148098 15/821305 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62193481 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180148098 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIROOKA; Masakazu ; et
al. |
May 31, 2018 |
VEHICLE FRONT SECTION STRUCTURE
Abstract
A vehicle front section structure includes: a suspension tower
to which an upper end portion of a strut of a suspension is
attached; a dash panel that demarcates an engine compartment from a
cabin; an instrument panel reinforcement that bridges a right and
left pair of front pillars; an intervening member that is disposed
between the suspension tower and the dash panel; a connecting
portion that is disposed on the instrument panel reinforcement and
that is configured to be connected with a steering support member
for supporting, via a steering column, a steering wheel in which an
airbag is stored; a brace that couples the dash panel and the
steering support member to each other; and a weak portion that is
formed in the instrument panel reinforcement on the vehicle front
side thereof and at a vicinity of a vehicle width direction inner
side of the connecting portion.
Inventors: |
SHIROOKA; Masakazu;
(Toyota-shi, JP) ; KISHIMOTO; Kengo; (Hadano-shi,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Toyota-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Toyota-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
62193481 |
Appl. No.: |
15/821305 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 25/145 20130101;
B60R 21/203 20130101; B62D 25/088 20130101; B62D 21/152
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B62D 21/15 20060101
B62D021/15; B60R 21/203 20060101 B60R021/203 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 29, 2016 |
JP |
2016-231613 |
Claims
1. A vehicle front section structure comprising: a suspension tower
that is configured to be attached with an upper end portion of a
strut of a suspension; a dash panel that is configured to demarcate
an engine compartment from a cabin; an instrument panel
reinforcement that is configured to bridge a right and left pair of
front pillars; an intervening member that is disposed between the
suspension tower and the dash panel; a connecting portion that is
disposed on the instrument panel reinforcement and that is
configured to be connected with a steering support member for
supporting, via a steering column, a steering wheel in which an
airbag is stored; a brace that is configured to couple the dash
panel and the steering support member to each other; and a weak
portion that is formed in the instrument panel reinforcement on the
vehicle front side thereof and at a vicinity of a vehicle width
direction inner side of the connecting portion.
2. The vehicle front section structure according to claim 1,
wherein the weak portion comprises a hole portion or a recess
portion.
3. The vehicle front section structure according to claim 1,
wherein a vehicle width direction outer end portion of the weak
portion and the connecting portion are disposed in substantially
the same position in the vehicle width direction.
4. The vehicle front section structure according to claim 1,
wherein the intervening member comprises a brake booster.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-231613 filed on
Nov. 29, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle front section
structure.
Related Art
[0003] Conventionally, a structure has been known in which a weak
portion is provided in the outer peripheral surface of an
instrument panel reinforcement, at the vehicle rear side thereof
between a steering support member and a driver's seat-side front
pillar (e.g., see Japanese Patent No. 5,708,829).
[0004] In this structure, at the time of a small overlap crash in
which a crash load is input from the vehicle front side to the part
of the vehicle front section positioned further outward in the
vehicle width direction than a driver's seat-side front side member
as seen in a plan view, when the driver's seat-side front pillar
moves backward, the part of the instrument panel reinforcement
positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the
weak portion bends in the vehicle rearward direction at the weak
portion.
[0005] For that reason, at the time of the small overlap crash
described above, a steering wheel provided on a rear end portion of
a steering shaft supported via the steering support member and a
steering column (column tube) on the part of the instrument panel
reinforcement positioned further inward in the vehicle width
direction than the weak portion is kept from tilting inward in the
vehicle width direction, and an airbag stored in the steering wheel
is kept from changing the deployment direction toward inward in the
vehicle width direction.
[0006] However, at the time of the small overlap crash described
above or an oblique crash in which a crash load is input from the
vehicle oblique front side to the vehicle front section at the
driver's seat side as seen in a plan view, the vehicle is displaced
in a lateral direction, and the occupant moves forward and outward
in the vehicle width direction because of inertial force at that
time. Therefore, there is the concern that the deployment direction
of the airbag and the occupant will be out of alignment in the
vehicle width direction if just vehicle width direction inward
deployment of the airbag is restrained.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present disclosure provides a vehicle front section
structure that may direct the deployment direction of an airbag
outward in the vehicle width direction at the time of a small
overlap crash or an oblique crash.
[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle front
section structure including: a suspension tower that is configured
to be attached with an upper end portion of a strut of a
suspension; a dash panel that is configured to demarcate an engine
compartment from a cabin; an instrument panel reinforcement that is
configured to bridge a right and left pair of front pillars; an
intervening member that is disposed between the suspension tower
and the dash panel; a connecting portion that is disposed on the
instrument panel reinforcement and that is configured to be
connected with a steering support member for supporting, via a
steering column, a steering wheel in which an airbag is stored; a
brace that is configured to couple the dash panel and the steering
support member to each other; and a weak portion that is formed in
the instrument panel reinforcement on the vehicle front side
thereof and at a vicinity of a vehicle width direction inner side
of the connecting portion.
[0009] According to this aspect, the weak portion is formed in the
instrument panel reinforcement on the vehicle front side thereof
and at a vicinity of the vehicle width direction inner side of the
connecting portion to which the steering support member, is
connected, and the support member supports, via the steering
column, the steering wheel in which the airbag is stored.
[0010] Consequently, at the time of a small overlap crash or an
oblique crash, the instrument panel reinforcement is bent so as to
project out in the vehicle rearward direction as seen in a plan
view at the weak portion. Because of this, the steering wheel is
tilted so as to face outward in the vehicle width direction and the
deployment direction of the airbag is tilted so as to face outward
in the vehicle width direction. It should be noted that "vicinity
of the vehicle width direction inner side of the connecting
portion" means a range in which the vehicle width direction outer
end portion of the weak portion comes up to the connecting portion
as seen in a plan view.
[0011] In this way, according to this aspect, the deployment
direction of the airbag may be directed outward in the vehicle
width direction at the time of a small overlap crash or an oblique
crash.
[0012] In the above aspect, the weak portion may be a hole portion
or a recess portion.
[0013] According to this configuration, the weak portion is
configured by a hole portion or a recess portion. Consequently, it
is easier to form the weak portion compared to a case in which the
weak portion is not configured by a hole portion or a recess
portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be
described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a vehicle front section
structure pertaining to the embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the vehicle front section
structure pertaining to the embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 3A is an enlarged plan view illustrating a weak portion
of an instrument panel reinforcement configuring the vehicle front
section structure pertaining to the embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 3B is an enlarged plan view illustrating an example
modification of the weak portion of the instrument panel
reinforcement configuring the vehicle front section structure
pertaining to the embodiment; and
[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a state of the vehicle
front section structure pertaining to the embodiment after an
oblique crash.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] An embodiment pertaining to the present disclosure will be
described in detail below based on the drawings. It should be noted
that for convenience of description arrow UP illustrated in the
drawings indicates a vehicle upward direction, arrow FR indicates a
vehicle forward direction, and arrow RH indicates a vehicle
rightward direction. Furthermore, when the directions of
upper/lower, front/rear, and right/left are used without further
specification in the following description, these will be
understood to mean upper/lower in the vehicle vertical direction,
front/rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, and right/left in
the vehicle right and left direction (vehicle width direction).
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a vehicle in which the
driver's seat is on the left side is taken as example.
[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a vehicle 12 equipped
with a vehicle front section structure 10 pertaining to the present
embodiment is equipped with a flat plate-shaped dash panel 20 that
demarcates an engine compartment 14 from a cabin 16. Substantially
open cylinder-shaped suspension towers 22, to which upper end
portions of struts (not illustrated in the drawings) of strut
suspensions are attached, are provided as a right and left pair
inside the engine compartment 14 at both vehicle width direction
sides further in the vehicle forward direction than the dash panel
20.
[0022] Additionally, as seen in the plan view illustrated in FIG.
1, a brake booster 24 serving as an intervening member is provided
between the suspension tower 22 and the dash panel 20. The brake
booster 24 has a substantially disc-shaped main body 24A and is
configured such that a push rod (not illustrated in the drawings)
coupled to a brake pedal (not illustrated in the drawings) is
connected to the axial center portion of the main body 24A.
[0023] Furthermore, an open cylinder-shaped (pipe-shaped)
instrument panel reinforcement 26 bridges front pillars 18 provided
as a right and left pair. Additionally, an upper steering support
30A and a lower steering support 30B serving as a steering support
member 30 are supported on the instrument panel reinforcement
26.
[0024] Specifically, the upper steering support 30A is formed in
substantially a hat shaped cross section and extends in the vehicle
front-rear direction, and the lower surfaces of both vehicle width
direction end portions of the midway portion of the upper steering
support 30A are joined by arc welding to the upper portion of the
outer peripheral surface of the instrument panel reinforcement 26.
The section of the upper steering support 30A positioned further in
the vehicle forward direction than the midway portion of the upper
steering support 30A slopes obliquely forward and downward as seen
in a side view seen from the vehicle width direction.
[0025] The lower steering support 30B is formed in substantially a
hat shaped cross section, and the upper surfaces of both vehicle
width direction end portions of the front end portion of the lower
steering support 30B are joined by arc welding to the lower portion
of the outer peripheral surface of the instrument panel
reinforcement 26. The rear end portion of the upper steering
support 30A is joined as a result of being fastened by bolts, for
example, to the vehicle front-rear direction midway portion of the
lower steering support 30B.
[0026] A steering column 32 having a column tube (not illustrated
in the drawings) is attached to the lower surface of the lower
steering support 30B. The steering column 32 is configured to
axially support a steering shaft (not illustrated in the drawings)
via bearings provided inside the column tube, and a steering wheel
34 in which an airbag 25 (see FIG. 4) is stored is integrally
attached to the rear end portion of the steering shaft.
[0027] The arc-welded portion of the vehicle width direction inner
section of the lower steering support 30B is a connecting portion
28 of the instrument panel reinforcement 26 to which the steering
support member 30 is connected. Furthermore, the midway portion and
the front end portion of the upper steering support 30A are coupled
to the dash panel 20 by a brace 36 extending in the vehicle
front-rear direction.
[0028] Specifically, the brace 36 is configured by two members, an
upper brace 36A formed in substantially a hat shaped cross section
and a lower brace 36B formed in substantially an inverted hat
shaped cross section. The rear end portion of the upper brace 36A
is joined by arc welding to the midway portion of the upper
steering support 30A, and the rear end portion of the lower brace
36A is joined by arc welding to the front end portion of the upper
steering support 30A.
[0029] Additionally, the front end portion of the upper brace 36A
is joined by arc welding to the front end portion of the lower
brace 36B, and the front end portion of the lower brace 36B is
fastened to the rear surface of the dash panel 20. That is, a
bracket (not illustrated in the drawings) is provided on the rear
surface of the dash panel 20, and the front end portion of the
lower brace 36B is joined as a result of being fastened by bolts to
the bracket.
[0030] Because of the configuration described above, the position
of the brace 36 in the vehicle width direction and the position of
the steering support member 30 in the vehicle width direction
substantially coincide with each other. In other words, the brace
36 and the steering support member 30 are substantially disposed on
an imaginary straight line (not illustrated in the drawings) lying
along the vehicle front-rear direction.
[0031] The brace 36 is configured such that its bend strength is
greater than the bend strength of the instrument panel
reinforcement 26. "Bend strength" here is the maximum value of
bending stress (resistance with respect to a bending moment)
produced inside the brace 36 and inside the instrument panel
reinforcement 26 by the input of a crash load, for example, and is
given by bending stress x section modulus.
[0032] Furthermore, the front end portion of the brace 36,
specifically the front end portion of the lower brace 36B, fastened
to the dash panel 20 serves as a fastened portion 38, and as seen
in a plan view the substantially central section of the suspension
tower 22, the substantially central section of the brake booster
24, and the fastened portion 38 are lined up on an imaginary
straight line K (see FIG. 1) whose vehicle front side slopes
obliquely outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to
the vehicle front-rear direction.
[0033] A driver's seat airbag 35 (see FIG. 4) is folded up and
stored in the radial direction inner section (central portion) of
the steering wheel 34. Consequently, when the vehicle 12 has been
involved in a frontal crash, gas is supplied from an inflator (not
illustrated in the drawings) so that the airbag 35 instantaneously
inflates and deploys in a flat substantially spherical shape.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3B, the
instrument panel reinforcement 26 has a weak portion 40 formed in
its outer peripheral surface on the vehicle front side thereof and
at a vicinity of the vehicle width direction inner side of the
connecting portion 28. It should be noted that here "vicinity of
the vehicle width direction inner side of the connecting portion
28" means a range in which a vehicle width direction outer end
portion 40A (see FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B) of the weak portion 40 comes
up to the connecting portion 28 as seen in a plan view. In other
words, it means a range in which the vehicle width direction outer
end portion 40A of the weak portion 40 and the connecting portion
28 are disposed in substantially the same position in the vehicle
width direction. More specifically, it is preferred that the
vehicle width direction outer end portion 40A of the weak portion
40 be disposed in a range of about 50 mm, for example, inward in
the vehicle width direction from the connecting portion 28.
[0035] As the weak portion 40, a rectangular hole portion 42
illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4, a rectangular recess
portion 44 illustrated in FIG. 3B, or a rectangular thin-walled
portion not illustrated in the drawings is preferably selected.
However, the weak portion 40 is not particularly limited to these.
Furthermore, the hole portion 42 and the recess portion 44 are not
particularly limited to the rectangular shapes as illustrated in
the drawings and may also have circular shapes, for example.
[0036] Next, the action of the vehicle front section structure 10
pertaining to the present embodiment equipped with the weak portion
40 described above (as an example, the hole portion 42) will be
described.
[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the driver's seat side of the
vehicle 12 has been involved in an offset frontal crash such as an
oblique crash for example, a front side member (not illustrated in
the drawings) on the driver's seat side undergoes bending
deformation inward in the vehicle width direction, and a crash load
F is input to the suspension tower 22 from the vehicle oblique
front side to the vehicle oblique rear side. When this happens, the
suspension tower 22 moves rearward and inward in the vehicle width
direction while undergoing plastic deformation.
[0038] That is, the suspension tower 22 moves backward along the
imaginary straight line K (see FIG. 1). Then, the brake booster 24
and the dash panel 20 (i.e., the fastened portion 38) are pushed
rearward and inward in the vehicle width direction by the
suspension tower 22, and the brake booster 24 and the dash panel 20
(i.e., the fastened portion 38) move backward along the imaginary
straight line K.
[0039] Thus, when the vehicle 12 has been involved in an oblique
crash, the crash load F is transmitted via the suspension tower 22,
the brake booster 24, and the dash panel 20 (i.e., the fastened
portion 38) from the vehicle oblique front side to the front end
portion of the brace 36 (the upper brace 36A and the lower brace
36B).
[0040] Here, the brace 36 is configured such that its bend strength
is greater than the bend strength of the instrument panel
reinforcement 26. Consequently, even when the crash load F is input
from the vehicle oblique front side to the front end portion of the
brace 36, the brace 36 does not easily undergo bending deformation
and struts between the dash panel 20 and the instrument panel
reinforcement 26.
[0041] In other words, the crash load F input to the front end
portion of the brace 36 is effectively transmitted from the brace
36 via the upper steering support 30A to the instrument panel
reinforcement 26. Because of this, the instrument panel
reinforcement 26 is bent so as to project out in the vehicle
rearward direction as seen in a plan view at the hole portion 42
serving as an example of the weak portion 40.
[0042] When this happens, the lower steering support 30B tilts
(turns in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4 about an axis
coinciding with the vehicle vertical direction) so as to face
outward in the vehicle width direction as seen in a plan view,
because the connecting portion 28 of the lower steering support 30B
configuring the steering support member 30 is disposed in the
instrument panel reinforcement 26 in a position further outward
(leftward) in the vehicle width direction than the hole portion 42
and, therefore, the steering wheel 34 tilts so as to face outward
(leftward) in the vehicle width direction via the steering column
32.
[0043] In the steering wheel 34, the airbag 35 inflates and deploys
at the point in time when the vehicle 12 became involved in the
oblique crash. Consequently, because the steering wheel 34 tilts so
as to face outward in the vehicle width direction, the airbag 35
also tilts so as to face outward (leftward) in the vehicle width
direction. Furthermore, when the vehicle 12 is involved in the
oblique crash and is displaced in a lateral direction, an occupant
P moves forward and outward (leftward) in the vehicle width
direction because of inertial force at that time.
[0044] Thus, the contact area between the airbag 35 that has tilted
so as to face outward (leftward) in the vehicle width direction and
the head of the occupant P who has moved forward and outward
(leftward) in the vehicle width direction may be increased, and the
force with which the airbag 35 restrains the head of the occupant P
may be enhanced. That is, according to the vehicle front section
structure 10 pertaining to the present embodiment, at the time of
an offset frontal crash (oblique crash) of the vehicle 12, the
injury value sustained by the head of the occupant P may be reduced
and the head of the occupant P may be effectively protected.
[0045] Furthermore, when the contact area between the airbag 35 and
the head of the occupant P may be increased in this way, it is
unnecessary to increase the size of the airbag 35 in order to
increase the contact area between the airbag 35 and the head of the
occupant P. Consequently, in correspondence thereto, it is possible
to reduce the size of the airbag 35 and it is possible to reduce
the manufacturing cost of the airbag 35.
[0046] Furthermore, when the weak portion 40 is configured by the
hole portion 42 or the recess portion 44, there is the advantage
that it is easier to form the weak portion 40 compared to a case in
which the weak portion 40 is not configured by the hole portion 42
or the recess portion 44. It should be noted that the oblique crash
in the present embodiment is a crash from a vehicle oblique front
side at a relative velocity of 90 km/hour defined by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for example (as an
example, a crash in which the relative angle with the crash partner
is 15.degree. and the amount of overlap in the vehicle width
direction is about 35%).
[0047] The vehicle front section structure 10 pertaining to the
embodiment has been described above based on the drawings, but the
embodiment is not limited to what is illustrated in the drawings
and may undergo appropriate design changes to the extent that they
do not depart from the spirit of the present disclosure. For
example, the instrument panel reinforcement 26 may be formed in a
square tube shape.
[0048] Furthermore, the intervening member is not limited to the
brake booster 24 and may also be another member as long as it is a
rigid member provided inside the engine compartment 14.
Furthermore, in the embodiment, an example in which the vehicle 12
has been involved in an oblique crash is described, but the same
holds true even when the vehicle 12 has been involved in a small
overlap crash.
[0049] The small overlap crash in the present embodiment is a crash
at a relative velocity of 64 km/hour defined by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for example and in which the
amount of overlap in the vehicle width direction with the crash
partner is 25% or less, and is a crash with respect to a section
further outward in the vehicle width direction than a front side
member that is a vehicle frame member as seen in a plan view.
* * * * *